[center][h2]The Birth of a New State[/h2][/center]

[b]"Five."
"Four."
"Three"
"Two."
"One."[/b]

The entire community of Zeta counted down together, in harmony. The cities that had been home to so many people for hundreds of years had been emptied, operated by a skeleton crew of transcended and AI that would slowly decommission them, then transition to scientific research centres. The Zeta system would forever be their home, but they were leaving for the one that had been promised to their ancestors.

[i]This is the New Arkadios Fleet. Are you reading us, Gaia-1?[/i] The pre-agreed name for the Lorne administration's main communications hub had become bitterly ironic now that Zeta had found itself its new most hated enemies.

[i]This is Gaia-1. New Arkadios Fleet receiving clearly.[/i]

[i]Excellent Gaia-1. New Arkadios Fleet beginning take off.[/i]

Engines roared to life across the planet's surface. From Elysium-Alpha to Tartarus-Omega, the arks that had been slowly constructed ever since the end of the War of Oligarch aggression fired up, trembling and shaking as they lifted an entire planet's population, half a billion strong, into the skies. The scorched and frozen landscape of Zeta began to slowly draw away from them, the yellowish planet growing smaller and smaller as the fleet of vehicles assembled themselves into a loose formation in orbit. Protecting them from attack was the brand-new navy, with purpose-built destroyers soaring into position. Once organised, the fleet soared towards the Gateway, and one-by-one the cloud of vessels left the Zeta system, and re-emerged over Delta-4. 

[i]Gaia-1, we've got eyes on you all. Welcome to Delta, employers.[/i] The Lorne administration confirmed the safe jump.

[i]100% transition rate. We're all here.[/i] Responded the Zetans, the Collective re-forming themselves into orderly formations as they came into approach over the planet of Delta and the ringworld surrounding it. Above, in space, their Administration allies had begun work as agreed upon. The shell of the Archimedes hung, drone swarms hovering around it, faint pinpricks of light from welders visible even from this distance.

Nearer the gateway, the new Aegis had begun to be constructed as well, augmented by an orbital Oistos system. Zeta had seen how even half-finished; these defences had worked against the invading Oligarchs and Undefeated. If they could be finished, perhaps they would finally allow for what the Zetans had desired ever since the Gateways had opened- safety. 

As the cloud of Arks made their way down towards the planet, they began to split apart, preparing themselves to land at pre-designated areas. The Administration had made Delta criminally easy to colonise, with pre-built infrastructure, agriculture and industry. All they had to do was move in. One by one, Arks would touch down, and cyborgs and androids stepped out into the light of a new world, prepared to start afresh.

[hr]

Sigma-Devi prepared herself for quite possibly the most important speech of her life. Standing in a more recent addition to the Zetan section of the Meeting place, it was a vast auditorium meant for interviews and announcements, with space made for foreign journalists and dignitaries to sit. She had sent a broad invitation to anyone that was interested, and even now as she looked down at the crowd below her, she could see Matuvistans, Colombians, Ishtari, representatives of various Khanate cities, a few Xandilians and even a few new arrivals from the White Flower Democracy.

Clearing her throat, she began.

"Today is an auspicious day. As we complete our recovery from the Hollywoodite Invasion, we have decided to reveal several truths that we have been hiding from the wider galactic community, and announce an important change that will be occurring effective immediately."

She beamed as a few news drones hovered around here, cameras flashing.

"Firstly. The Zetan Consciousness is, as some nations have hypothesised, a 'group mind,' system. We would like to stress that all individual members of our neural network have free will. We are not 'drones,' or 'automata,' no matter what some may claim. Our cohesion is a result of technologically-augmented empathic and intellectual connections that we have named 'The Collective.'"

"In addition, the Consciousness would like to announce that, through a process known as 'Transcendence,' we have managed to subvert the traditional end to human lifespans. We have worked very hard on maintaining the..." She paused for a second, pointing towards a journalist with their arm shot into the air. "Please, questions at the end." She waited for the arm to go back down, then continued.

"We have worked very hard on maintaining a consistent mental state no matter what body a member of the collective may find themselves in. Haecceity is [i]very[/i] important to us here in the Collective, and it will always be the case."

"Thirdly, the Collective has confirmed that it is possible to incorporate new members into it through augmentation, even well into adulthood. Because of this, we will be announcing a small-scale citizenship and integration program for those who wish to join the Collective. This program will operate alongside our brand-new augmentation program for E.S.M.G soldiers, and the two will have some crossover."

By now, quite a hubbub had emerged in the auditorium.

"Finally, the Zetan Consciousness has realised that our name does not accurately represent the desired identity of what we are as a nation. 'Zetan Consciousness,' speaks too much to our planetary existence prior to the openings of the gateway, and highlights neither our goals, nor accurately summates our beliefs in governance. From now on, we would like to announce that we will no longer be naming ourselves the 'Zetan Consciousness.'"

She paused for emphasis.

"We are proud to join S.U.N unified together under the banner of the Enlightened Symposium. Thank you." She bowed to the crowd."

"I will now be accepting questions."